This invention relates to brush-beater assemblies for vacuum cleaners, and to a method for making this type of assembly.
In vacuum cleaners, it is conventional to provide a rotatable element having a brush extending axially or helically and opposed, on an opposite side of the assembly, by a projection serving as a beater. This type of device is particularly adaptable to the sweeping of carpets, in order to facilitate the removal of dirt from the carpet by agitation of the fibers thereof. For example, in one form of such an assembly, the base of the assembly is formed by a wooden rod provided with a pulley on one end. A longitudinally extending brush is affixed to one side of the rod, and a longitudinally extending beater projection is affixed to the other side of the rod. Of course many other forms of such assemblies have been provided.
In the past, many different other forms of brush-beater assemblies have been provided, each having its own disadvantage. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,937, Nordeen, discloses an assembly which must be fabricated from a plurality of axially adjacent segments, with the beater bars being inserted into channels extending through these segments. U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,444, Schaefer et al, discloses a metallic beater-brush assembly wherein the roll is formed from a helical metallic member, the brushes and beater bars also being inserted in slots in the roll.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,871, Parker, discloses a brush-beater assembly formed of a helical sheet metal element having edge channels, wherein the beater bars and brushes are also separately inserted in the channels.
In general, while such assemblies may function properly, they are usually difficult or time consuming to fabricate, and they may not have adequate strength for long periods of hard use.